Mattel has once again provided answers to your questions.
Thanks again to them for taking the time to answer these!
Check out their answers to your Round 65 questions!

This round of questions were selected by Shokoti's Slave.
Thanks to that fan for their help!

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1. Shecky: During the last year or so when someone asked about a particular figure that wasn't confirmed, you would usually say that you couldn't comment on anything beyond a certain upcoming figure. Why then would you make the recent comments on Castle Grayskull when as recently as last month during the SDCC you mentioned that it wasn't in the cards anytime soon?

We wanted to manage expectations. Fans have already been posting "rumors" that CG was going to be shown as early as Power Con and we wanted to avoid disapointing fans by managing expectations of what is in the works as far as line growth.

2. Crusader: Is there a possibility that a small part of Granamyr's production run could be painted green instead of red? Perhaps at a slightly higher price point and using a pre-order system as recently suggested for Castle Grayskull.

We won't be splitting the production but it is possible we could reissue Granamyr in Green down the road just as we could possibly do a flocked Panthor one day. But the fan vote goes first!

3. Shokoti's Slave: What is your process to decide which Filmation characters you'll be making and when?

The MOTUC line is much more of a river vs a mathamatical formula. Luckily fans have been posting Filmation request lists for years so we have a very good idea of who they want. Essentially marking, design and the Horsemen all say down for dinner and discussed fan favorites, personal favorties, character that would make "great toys" and a few wild cards to keep fans on their toes. Then we split the list over the next several years to ensure each year had a great offering from the Filmation bucket!

4. jdscissorhands: The Star Sisters 3-pack seem to have triggered some criticism (expensive item, obscure characters, etc) and many fans attributed the lower 2012 subs selling to its reveal at SDCC. Does it mean that further 2 or 3-packs are doomed or is there still hope for us fans to see more of those in the next few months? For example, a Comet Warrior 3-pack would rock.

Not at all. We already sold enough Star Sister packs in the sub so we are in the clear. If a character pairing calls for a 3 pack (or a 2 pack or any other combo) we could certainly explore that. But nothing to announce right now. This is the beauty of an online toy line. Without retail package limitations we can explore a lot more options for fans when it is called for.

5. grenadaspice: You have mentioned that with the addition of Filmation characters added to the line, it will bump figures off the road map to where the line was originally headed with bios and the time frame of certain figure releases. With the tentative plan being 2-3 Filmation characters released per year, have you considered knocking off 2-3 of the quarterly A-list variants in favor of filling in the new Filmation characters instead so we get more per year?

The Filmation characters did knock other figures off the road map (or rather pushed them out) but we know there is still demand for variants of major characters so we have no intention of just ending these to make way for Filmation. In the long run the idea is to deliver all of the above!

I'm excited about the addition of Filmation to the line and it'd be really great if the figure announced at Power-Con was from that catalog.

September 18, 2011, 02:53am

Shecky

Since my question regarding Castle Grayskull was answered (thanks to Shokoti's Slave for selecting it :hmgrin:), I'll ask the obvious:

Where did the rumors regarding Castle Grayskull being shown at Power Con originate from? I saw posts here and there pertaining to said rumors, but never understood where these rumors came from :hmconf:.

Regards,
Victor P.

September 18, 2011, 12:38pm

Count Marzo

Love the Filmation response and I'm also really pumped that dream has finally come true. Wish I couldve been a fly on the wall for that conversation...although I'd have to try to throw my choices into the mix too so I'd probably end up swatted.

September 18, 2011, 01:20pm

Prahvus

Quote:

THE FILMATION CHARACTERS DID KNOCK OTHER FIGURES OFF THE ROAD MAP (OR RATHER PUSHED THEM OUT) but we know there is still demand for variants of major characters so we have no intention of just ending these to make way for Filmation. In the long run the idea is to deliver all of the above !

Hmmmm... THIS is a very interesting answer !

SO, the Filmation characters pushed some other characters OUT of the roadmap... That is NOT what Toyguru seemed to imply after SDCC. He had even said that Filmation figures had ADDED some more years to the roadmap.

So, where's the truth ? Somewhere in between ?

The answer we just got seems to mean that the roadmap won't include some characters...

I sure hope the characters that were pushed out are NOT vintage characters, OR unique sculpts, because this is the kind of thing that would drive me berserk !

I just can't wait to learn more about this... Maybe in the next WTFWTK ?

Anyway, thank you grenadaspice for asking this question ! :skwink: Toyguru's answer will have us pondering for a while with that answer...

September 18, 2011, 01:25pm

wayne-klops

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prahvus

Hmmmm... THIS is a very interesting answer !

SO, the Filmation characters pushed some other characters OUT of the roadmap... That is NOT what Toyguru seemed to imply after SDCC. He had even said that Filmation figures had ADDED some more years to the roadmap.

So, where's the truth ? Somewhere in between ?

The answer we just got seems to mean that the roadmap won't include some characters...

I sure hope the characters that were pushed out are NOT vintage characters, OR unique sculpts, because this is the kind of thing that would drive me berserk !

I just can't wait to learn more about this... Maybe in the next WTFWTK ?

Anyway, thank you grenadaspice for asking this question ! :skwink: Toyguru's answer will have us pondering for a while with that answer...

I actually read that answer the exact opposite way that you did. I thought when he originally said they were pushed "OFF" the roadmap, that was implying they were not going to be made, and then he clarified by saying they were pushed "OUT" meaning out further down the roadmap as opposed to being completely pushed off of the roadmap. I hope my interpretation is the correct one (as I'm sure you are too :hmgrin:).

September 18, 2011, 01:30pm

Prahvus

Waynepoo, just like you I hope we'll get as many cool characters as possible (and then some), and that no one will be "suppressed" from the roadmap.

Personally, the only reason that would prevent me to get a figure is a lack of quality (or a lack of money, eventually).

But I'll collect all I can ! :hmwink:

September 18, 2011, 02:37pm

vazqjose

Quote:

Originally Posted by Prahvus

I sure hope the characters that were pushed out are NOT vintage characters, OR unique sculpts, because this is the kind of thing that would drive me berserk !

What he means is that with the Filmation characters thrown now into the mix, several slots will be replaced...theres no intention to cancel any characters because of it, just pushed back to some other year.

September 18, 2011, 02:48pm

Spikewolfe

My concern with the addition of Filmation characters is that NA characters are really getting the short end of the stick. I realize that NA isn't something that everyone wants in MOTUC, but seriously, we're averaging only one NA figure every year and a half here, yet suddenly Filmation is getting two or three a year???

September 18, 2011, 02:51pm

MldMnrdReporter

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikewolfe

My concern with the addition of Filmation characters is that NA characters are really getting the short end of the stick. I realize that NA isn't something that everyone wants in MOTUC, but seriously, we're averaging only one NA figure every year and a half here, yet suddenly Filmation is getting two or three a year???

There weren't all that many NA characters that had figures in the first place. As long as the core characters get made I'll be happy.

September 18, 2011, 03:20pm

Count Marzo

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikewolfe

My concern with the addition of Filmation characters is that NA characters are really getting the short end of the stick. I realize that NA isn't something that everyone wants in MOTUC, but seriously, we're averaging only one NA figure every year and a half here, yet suddenly Filmation is getting two or three a year???

Filmation is a far more important portion of MOTU. They are doing the right thing by adding in Filmation stuff ASAP.

September 18, 2011, 03:36pm

MegaGearMax

Quote:

Originally Posted by Spikewolfe

My concern with the addition of Filmation characters is that NA characters are really getting the short end of the stick. I realize that NA isn't something that everyone wants in MOTUC, but seriously, we're averaging only one NA figure every year and a half here, yet suddenly Filmation is getting two or three a year???

A 200X variant was pushed back for a Filmation character, so NA is safe as far as we know.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MldMnrdReporter

There weren't all that many NA characters that had figures in the first place. As long as the core characters get made I'll be happy.

18 different NA characters left, not counting He-Man and Skeletor or Skeletor variants. I think that's a lot. We don't want MOTUC becoming New Adventures Classics at the end.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Count Marzo

Filmation is a far more important portion of MOTU. They are doing the right thing by adding in Filmation stuff ASAP.

Are you trying to start a Filmation Cartoon vs New Adventures Toyline Era War?

September 18, 2011, 03:43pm

Count Marzo

Quote:

Originally Posted by MegaGearMax

Are you trying to start a Filmation Cartoon vs New Adventures Toyline Era War?

No. There's no war to be had there. Trust me. ;)

September 18, 2011, 05:15pm

cbomb23

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shecky

Since my question regarding Castle Grayskull was answered (thanks to Shokoti's Slave for selecting it :hmgrin:), I'll ask the obvious:

Where did the rumors regarding Castle Grayskull being shown at Power Con originate from? I saw posts here and there pertaining to said rumors, but never understood where these rumors came from :hmconf:.

Regards,
Victor P.

The Orb holder shown at SDCC had some people speculating, then a board member here or there with there "inside sources"

September 18, 2011, 08:09pm

vazqjose

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shecky

Where did the rumors regarding Castle Grayskull being shown at Power Con originate from? I saw posts here and there pertaining to said rumors, but never understood where these rumors came from :hmconf:.

Regards,
Victor P.

It started with a fan asking about it in a AQ session and then questions and suggestions started being thrown for months. They are aware of the demand and are looking forward to step it up starting with the vehicle sales.